The Sweet Smell of Love

You may have noticed it hanging in the air- the sweet smell of romance.

Warmer daytime temperatures during the last week of February and the first week of March helped draw thousands of Spilogale Putorius, commonly known as the spotted skunk, out of their dens as the spring breeding season gets underway.

Drivers along Kentucky Roadways and on farms have reported a significant increase in skunk collisions and many unpleasant interactions.

Wildlife officials said that the warmer temperatures and regular breeding cycles send thousands of animals on the prowl looking for other skunks.

Numerous vehicle/skunk collisions have been reported, and even more have gone unreported due to minimal vehicle damage.

State wildlife officials said Kentucky residents were likely to see greater activity, especially an increase in the sweet aroma wafting through the air in the late dawn and early evening hours.

“You're likely to smell them, too!” a wildlife official said.  “Male skunks spray their rivals while females spray males they're not interested in mating with.”

The breeding season for spotted skunks also coincided with the breeding season for more common striped skunks.  Both species produce one litter per year in the late spring.

Despite their smell, the Spotted Skunk is classified as a “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” in the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), which includes a list of thirty-one of the state's “more vulnerable species.”